Nowadays, electronic cigarettes are gradually used to replace the conventional tobacco cigarettes. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the electronic cigarette includes a casing 1 and components which may be assembled and installed therein. Having a length and a diameter similar to the conventional tobacco cigarette, the casing 1 includes a first casing 1a and a second casing 1b, which may be thin-wall metal pipes, such as stainless steel pipes. The components of the electronic cigarettes include a driving module 2, a sensing unit 3, an atomization component 4 and a liquid storage component 5. The driving module 2 and the sensing unit 3 are disposed within the first casing 1a, while the first casing 1a has at least one entrance 1c adjacent to the sensing unit 3. The atomization component 4 and the liquid storage component 5 are disposed within the second casing 1b. The atomization component 4 is fixed on a bracket 7 and supported thereby. The atomization component 4 includes an electric heater 41, a liquid receiving part 42 sleeving on the electric heater 41 and a liquid transfer part 43 cooperating intimately with the liquid receiving part 42. The electric heater 41 is a hollow part. The liquid storage component 5 is disposed within the second casing 1b and has a passageway 51 for allowing gas to pass therethrough. The passageway 51 is surrounded with the liquid container 52. The liquid transfer part 43 sleeves on the liquid receiving part 42. Since the communication part 431 of the liquid transfer part 43 is contacted with the liquid container 52, the cigarette liquid in the liquid container 52 can be absorbed to or infiltrate to the liquid receiving part 42. Moreover, an intake-and-electric-connection element 10 is arranged between the atomization component 4 and the sensing unit 3, and the intake-and-electric-connection element 10 is in communication with the passageway 51 of the liquid storage component 5, so that an airflow path from the entrance 1c to the passageway 51 is defined. The gas introduced into the entrance 1c will move along the airflow path, passing through the sensing unit 3, the intake-and-electric-connection element 10 and the electric heater 41, then being introduced into the passageway 51 of the liquid storage component 5. The intake-and-electric-connection element 10 may be used for electrical connection and circulation of air flow. The electronic cigarette further includes an electrode ring 8. The electrode ring 8 is electrically connected with two pins (not shown) of the electric heater 41. Moreover, the electrode ring 8 is electrically connected with the driving module 2, through the electric connection between the intake-and-electric-connection element 10 and the sensing unit 3. The electric circuit of the electronic cigarette is selectively enabled or disabled according to the result of sensing the airflow by the sensing unit 3. Moreover, a mouthpiece 9 is disposed on an end of the second casing 1b and in communication with the passageway 51 of the liquid storage component 5. When the user inhales through the mouthpiece 9, which forms an airflow going through the inside of the electronic cigarette, the electric circuit of the electronic cigarette is enabled according to the detection of the airflow by sensing unit 3. The electric heater 41 is activated and then performs a heating operation. When the user stops inhaling, the gas in the electronic cigarette stops flowing, and the electric circuit of the electronic cigarette is disabled according to the sensing result of the sensing unit 3. More specifically, as mentioned above, the cigarette liquid in the liquid container 52 can be absorbed to or infiltrate to the liquid receiving part 42 through the communication part 431 of the liquid transfer part 43. When the user inhales through the mouthpiece 9, which forms an airflow going through the inside of the electronic cigarette, the electric circuit of the electronic cigarette is enabled according to the detection of the airflow by the sensing unit 3. Then, the driving module 2 provides electric power to the electrode ring 8 to activate the electric heater 41 to perform the heating operation. Consequently, the cigarette liquid absorbed to or infiltrate to the liquid receiving part 42 is heated and atomized by the electric heater 41, and the user can inhale the atomized vapor from the passageway 51 of the liquid storage component 5 through the mouthpiece 9.
As mentioned above, the cigarette liquid is transferred to the liquid receiving part 42 through the communication part 431 of the liquid transfer part 43. However, this design has some drawbacks. First, since it is difficult to precisely control the amount of liquid infiltration from the communication part 431 of the liquid transfer part 43, the cigarette liquid usually fails to be transferred uniformly to the liquid receiving part 42. If a part of the liquid receiving part 42 receives a lesser amount of the cigarette liquid than the other parts, the liquid droplets are not uniformly generated so that an unpleasing burning taste appears in the atomized vapor. Second, since the amount of liquid infiltration from the communication part 431 of the liquid transfer part 43 to be transferred to the liquid receiving part 42 cannot be precisely controlled, the liquid leakage occurs. Especially when the mouthpiece 9 stays in the upright position vertical to the ground, the cigarette liquid continuously moves from the liquid container 52 to the liquid receiving part 42 under the force of gravity. Once the liquid receiving part 42 reaches a saturation state, the excessive cigarette liquid drops down to the intake-and-electric-connection element 10. Moreover, the cigarette liquid may drop down through the sensing unit 3 and leak out from the at least one entrance 1c, which results in terrible user experience.
Moreover, there are some differences between the electronic cigarettes and the real cigarettes. For example, when people smoke the real cigarettes, they are accustomed to smoking quickly, shortly and laboriously. Whereas, people smoke the electronic cigarettes lengthily and gently. While the user smokes the real cigarette and inhales a great amount of oxygen gas, the user can quickly get the wanted amount of smoke because the tobacco is burnt and atomized faster. However, while the user smokes the conventional electronic cigarette, the electric power to be transmitted to the electric heater and the heating speed cannot be adjusted. That is, if the heating speed is too fast, the cigarette liquid is atomized by the atomization component very quickly. Since the cigarette liquid of the conventional electronic cigarette is provided according to a siphon effect, the speed of providing the cigarette liquid is too slow and thus cannot catch up the heating speed. Under this circumstance, the amount of the atomized vapor is insufficient or the atomization component is burnt out. Since the electric power transmitted to the atomization component of the conventional electronic cigarette is fixed, the user has to smoke the electronic cigarette lengthily and gently to provide a sufficient heating time to the atomization component. That is, the conventional method of atomizing the cigarette liquid of the electronic cigarette still has some drawbacks. The above problems lead to significant differences between the real cigarette and the electronic cigarette. Because of these drawbacks, the user does not prefer to choose the electronic cigarette in replace of the real cigarette.
For solving the drawbacks of the conventional technologies, the present disclosure provides an improved driving module for an electronic cigarette.